Uneasy Alliance
by Raven26
Summary: An Imperial Guard regiment stuck on a remote planet have to form an allaince with an old enemy to fight a new one. Please RR


Disclaimer  
  
I own nothing of Warhammer, Warhammer40K, Battlefleet Gothic and so on. I wish I did but I don't  
  
Uneasy Alliance  
  
Darkness descended once again, and as it did the soldiers of the Imperial Guard stationed at Fort Bragg grabbed their weapons and moved to a safe vantage point. Staring out into the bleak valley, visibility was poor at best and even if the enemy were to approach, which was almost a guarantee, then the Imperial wouldn't know about it until they were within 100 meters.  
  
Fort Bragg, situated on Planet 2147, had been coming under constant attack by an Ork Warband for days now. And each time more troops would die in the conflict, whittling down the remaining Imperial troopers even further. It had everyone on edge.  
  
Outside the main gate the two Leman Russ and single Basilisk swept their searchlights into the darkness, hoping to catch a glimpse of any troops before they got too close.  
  
Behind them the Ratling Snipers crouched around their Chimera, giving them decent cover in case of an attack, their trained vision followed the searchlights while the Hull Heavy Bolter and Turret Multilaser also kept a keen eye out for any greenskins who were unlucky enough to find their way into their sights.  
  
Inside the fort three Ogryns armoured with a Ripper Gun and close combat weapon of their choice were positioned just inside the main doors, giving them the ability to rush out and using the tanks as cover get amongst the green menace and rip them apart in hand to hand combat.  
  
There were many other squads stationed all around the fort, standing in front of windows aiming their lasguns or maybe even heavier weaponry into the darkness while two mortars were set up on the roof ready to rain death from the sky.  
  
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In the main hall Commissar Magnus Raybridge stood before his sergeants, lieutenants, and other higher-ranking officers in front of the holographic viewscreen that had just been activated.   
  
The picture was a birds eye view of the surrounding territory, it clearly showed the valley, the fort, and most importantly, the Ork encampment.  
  
"These are recent satellite surveillance pictures of the surface," he pointed to the green blob that was hundreds of Orks, "The greenskins are getting closer and closer to us by the day, it is impossible to send in fighters for a bombardment due to their heavy flak capabilities. However, we managed to make contact with a Marine cruiser a few hours ago. It is on its way back to Space Station Delta for repairs after it was damaged in a firefight with a Chaos fleet. They have agreed to redirect their route here and bring us reinforcements in the shape of one hundred marines. The cruiser will then return to Space Station Delta and inform the Emperor of our predicament. We will then hopefully get the permanent reinforcements we need for this planet where we will begin to rebuild the colony that the Orks destroyed."  
  
Lieutenant Serge Garpingland raised a hand, "How long before they get here?"  
  
"Thirteen hours," Raybridge replied, his carapace armour flickering vibrantly under the dim lights provided by the fort. "It is then estimated that the Ork camp will be wiped out in three days due to a lengthy ground campaign involving both us and the Marines. Reinforcements should then arrive in another five days."  
  
"How can we be sure that they come?" Veteran Sergeant Golias Michaels of the Armoured Fist regiment stationed at the fort asked, they had been promised reinforcements three weeks ago but had yet to get any.  
  
"I assure you," Magnus placed both hands on the table, "it will be our faith in the Emperor that guides our fellow brothers to this planet. I realise that this has been a rather unexpected turn of events, but we can not fail now, if anything we should be fighting harder than ever to succeed." Nods of agreement were shared around the table, "Glory to the Emperor."  
  
"Glory to the Emperor," was repeated in unison.  
  
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"Man I'm bored," Hainlek Walters moaned, adjusting the sight on his Lascannon for the zillionth time, "and this thing is itching like hell," he shifted the bulky weapon on his shoulder to give him the ability to scratch under it.  
  
"Stop whining Walters," an Armoured Fist soldier next to him muttered while keeping his eyes firmly trained on the sweeping searchlights, his plasma rifles safety firmly off so as not to waste time. "Before I turn you into a heap of slag."  
  
"Hey, give the guy a break Raptor," another Armoured Fist soldier going by the name Leroy Jenkins, standing the other side of Walters said, "You know as well as I do, Walters here was only drafted into the Armoured Fists coz he knows how to work a Lascannon, not his fault all the other soldiers are dumb asses."  
  
"Don't mean I have to put with his bitching every minute of the day," Jax said while casting a glance over at his missile launcher set up against the wall beside him, "The guys worse than a woman."   
  
Jenkins laughed, "Yeah, maybe he should join the Sisters of Battle when he gets back."  
  
"I'm all for that," Walters defended, "as long as I get to shower with them later."  
  
This brought another laugh from Jenkins, his Heavy Bolter rattling against the armoured plate on his shoulder, it even brought about a small smile from Raptor too. Which was by no means as easy feat, "You wanna repeat that Walters?" immediately Jenkins stopped laughing only then realizing that Veteran Sergeant Michaels had been standing directly behind the three of them.  
  
"Uh, no sir!" Walters responded rather nervously.  
  
"Are you sure Walters, because I can get you a transfer if you really want to be made the Commanders bitch," Jenkins tried to suppress a laugh but couldn't, unfortunately this brought the Veteran Sergeants attention over to him, "I don't know what you're laughing at Jenkins. You're kill count is so low you may as well be throwing rocks at the enemy," Jenkins immediately became quiet. A prolonged silence ensued as all three Armoured Fists tried not to anger their superior. Eventually Sergeant Michaels left bringing about a held breath from Jenkins being released rather noisily.  
  
"Man, what a hardass huh?"  
  
"I don't know, he had a pretty good point."  
  
"Fuck you Raptor," Jenkins replied, lowering his Heavy Bolter so he could look at his counterpart "Tell you what, whoever kills more Orks tonight gives up their beer chip, deal?" Jax shrugged, Jenkins decided to take that as a yes. With a grin he heaved the piece of weaponry back onto his shoulder and turned back to the window.  
  
After a while of surveying the darkness Walters spoke up again, there was an unnerving edge to his voice "You guys hear that?" he asked quietly.  
  
All three men listened quietly, and sure enough, there was a low whistling sound becoming more and more prominent, "What the hell is that?" Jenkins stared into the black that was outside. His eyes went wide when through the darkness a missile appeared directly in front of him, a mere few meters away. "Oh sh…" was all that he managed to say before the missile slammed against the solid steel structure. A deafening explosion ripped through the complex.  
  
Raptor was thrown backwards into the steel wall behind him, his head spinning he opened his eyes and looked over to see Walters hunched over Jenkins, his ears were ringing preventing any sound from reaching him. Walters was shaking Jenkins, but the young soldier wasn't responding. Pretty soon Raptor saw the only surviving medic appear, shooing Walters aside he kneeled down next to Jenkins and rolled him over. Raptor immediately felt sick, half of Jenkins' face was missing and the shrapnel released from the missile had torn his throat open, the wound spewing rivers of crimson blood coating the medics hands in a dark red.  
  
Walters was white as the medic shook his head and went over to Raptor, he moved his lips but Raptor couldn't hear a thing. The medic touched his shoulder and a sharp pain was sent coursing through his body, Raptor swore, or at least thought he did. Gradually the ringing began to subside and he was beginning to make out other sounds, gunfire mostly, but he could also distinguish the medics voice. He was basically saying that he'd dislocated his shoulder when he'd hit the wall, "Well what the hell are you waiting for?" Jax said angrily, "Pop it back in already."  
  
Nodding the medic grabbed his shoulder, "This is gonna hurt," Jax just nodded, closing his eyes he felt a blinding pain and a million swear words fall off his tongue. "There," the medic immediately got up and went off to find somebody else to heal.  
  
Grunting Jax pulled himself up and half walked, half staggered over to Walters who was staring at Jenkins' lifeless body. "Come on kid," Raptor slapped him across the back of the head, "We got a fight to win."  
  
Walters slowly looked up at Raptor, "He…he's dead," he whispered.  
  
Jax didn't have time to be comforting, it wasn't really his style anyway, "No shit. But there's nothing we can do about it now, so get up before I throw you out the window."  
  
Standing Jax grabbed his plasma rifle and looked it over, it was useless, the heating coil had cracked, probably from the explosion. Tossing it aside he grunted in pain and lifted the missile launcher onto his shoulder, ignoring the pain he shuffled towards the window and observed the ensuing battle. One of the two Leman Russ was now just a smouldering heap of junk, half of the Ratling Snipers were laying dead or seriously injured on the floor and the Ogryns were in the middle of the green swarm hacking at anything they could get their hands on.  
  
Taking careful aim at the lead group of Gretchin who were cowering in a crater and firing wildly at the remaining Ratlings Jax aimed carefully for the biggest group and squeezed the trigger.  
  
The missile flew straight and true impacting into the crater and blowing four Gretchin to pieces. There was another explosion, deep within the heart of the Ork lines, Jax concluded that it must've been a mortar as the blast tossed bits of broken bodies into the air.   
  
He glanced back again the see Walters still staring at Jenkins' body, shaking his head he opened the back of his missile launcher and slid another missile in, "For fucks sake Walters. You wanna sit there and mope all night, or you gonna help me kill as many of these bastards for Jenkins as you can?"  
  
Walters didn't reply, shaking his head Jax lifted up the missile launcher and aimed out of the window, by now the Ogryns had been cut down to a single one who was continuing to smash through the Ork lines. The Gretchin seemed to have been broken by the remaining Ratling Snipers and were running for the hills. This time aiming at the bigger group of Shooter Boyz Jax sent the missile just over their heads, instead catching the Flash Gitz behind them, only two were caught in the ensuing explosion but it was better than nothing.   
  
His position was immediately peppered with slugs and he ducked behind solid steel, the clinks and clangs of bullets impacting against the other side of the wall caused his heart to beat three times as fast. He looked over to where Walters was, but only found an empty space, "DIE YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!" Jax looked up to see a screaming Walters unleash a hail of bullets into the horde beneath with Jenkins' Heavy Bolter, which had amazingly survived the explosion.  
  
Rounds tore into the Flash Gitz, the Skarboys and the Stikk Bommas, shredding through tough Ork skin and splattering their comrades in green blood. Eventually through the rounds ran out and Walters dropped the Heavy Bolter and replaced it with his Lascannon, a bright blue beam of energy lanced through the night catching the Nob leading the Tankbustas square in the chest. His Eavy Armour providing no protection, the Nob collapsed with a groan, not to mention an enormous hole in his body.  
  
"Get down damnit," Raptor yanked Walters to the floor, the younger soldier attempted to wrestle free but Raptor held on to him.  
  
"Let go of me Jax!" Walters yelled.  
  
"Not until you start acting and fighting like a sane person," Raptor hissed, a slug whizzed in through the window and struck the wall opposite, "If you'd been standing there, that would've been your head. Now, chill out, we'll both fire at the same time alright?" Walters only nodded.  
  
Loading in another missile Jax turned to Walters who was ready, "Okay, 3, 2, 1…" Both men rose and aimed out of the window, targeting the Shooter Boyz who were closing in on the base Jax sent a missile directly into the middle of them incinerating four. He watched was Walters aimed for the Dreadnought, but even though he hit it dead on the Lascannon shot bounced off leaving just a scorch mark. There was a deep rumble, followed by a boom and the remaining Leman Russ let off another volley destroying the rest of the Shooter Boyz with a well-placed ordinance blast.  
  
Jax also saw the demise of the last Ogryn who fell to the choppers of the Slugga Boyz, he watched fascinated as the bright beams of every Lasgun inside fort Bragg fired into the teeming mass of Orks that was being lessened by the second. Trying to reload in time to stop the same Slugga Boyz who hacked down the Ogryn from reaching the gates. He heard the metallic scraping of their choppers while they tried to smash through the steel door. Jax just smiled hearing the creaking sound of the door opening.  
  
Nodding to Walters again they both stood just in time to see three huge balls of flame from inside the compound envelope the Slugga Boyz who ran off in every direction screaming and writhing in pain. This time Raptor went for the Dreadnought, the missile exploded directly where it should've but after the smoke had cleared the only visible sign that it'd been hit was its limp in its step. Seeing this Walters also hit it with a Lascannon blast. The energy weapon tore through the Dreadnoughts leg joint and with a loud sound of bending metal it fell with a crash. The pilot scuttled out and ran for it seconds before the engine exploded.  
  
It was as if that last shot signalled the end of the battle, the Orks started to retreat, the weapons of the Imperial Guard picking off as many of the stragglers as they could until finally the Orks disappeared back into the night.  
  
The IG had managed to once again hold off the green tide, but everyone inside the base knew that it had come at a heavy price.  
  
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Magnus Raybridge strode through the fort, his weapon still warm to the touch from its recent use. Everywhere Imperial Guardsmen were checking their weapons and fortifying whatever positions had been damaged from the assault. The casualty report had just come through, twenty-three men had been killed, which included the destruction of the Ratling Sniper unit, the Ogryns and a Leman Russ and Chimera. So that meant ten men inside of the fort had been killed. That was more than anticipated.  
  
Meeting Veteran Sergeant Michaels he nodded, "Greetings Michaels, I am sorry to hear of the loss of another Armoured Fist."  
  
Michaels nodded sorrowfully, "Thank you Commissar, but I still have two warriors fighting strongly. And as soon as the Marines arrive I am sure we will all pay the Orks back for what they have done."  
  
Commissar Raybridge laid a hand on Michaels' shoulder, "We surely will old friend. And afterwards, we shall have a toast, to all of the men who have given their lives for this planet."  
  
He made his way past Michaels and continued on his way until the Veteran Sergeant shouted after him, "Magnus!" Raybridge turned around to see Michaels approaching, "With all due respect, what is the importance of this planet?"  
  
Raybridge was confused, "In what way do you mean?"  
  
"You know damn well what I mean," Michaels hissed, "We've been friends a long time, so I'm asking you now why we need this planet. Our lines are spread thin enough as it is. I know it's important to a keep a foothold in Tau space. I mean this planet is basically all we have to show from the Daemocleous Crusade, but don't you think this is pushing it. We're struggling to defend it now from Orks, what's going to happen when the Tau find out how vulnerable our position is, they could easily take it back."  
  
A soldier passed causing both men to stop talking, as soon as he'd moved out of earshot Magnus motioned to a deserted room, "This way," stepping inside Magnus closed the door behind Golias. "The Imperium is planning to convert this planet in a mining station, the gas giant circling above has traces of ionised particles in its atmosphere. They're hoping to construct a shipyard on the surface and eventually turn the planet into a training facility."  
  
"Training facility," Golias was obviously confused, "For what?"  
  
"The Imperium has not forgotten the humiliation of having to pull out of Tau space, we sacrificed hundreds of ships and thousands men and basically got nothing in return. The people of the Imperium see this planet as a slur to the Tau, they believe that by holding this planet we have caused a big enough wound to a strong beast that will eventually sap its strength."   
  
For a moment Golias remained silent, taking in all of the information Magnus had just said he came back with a question that even he was frightened to ask, "Is the Imperium planning another crusade into Tau space?"  
  
Magnus stared back at his friend, "Not officially, but with the Tau fleet depleted by the Nid invasion the Emperor feels that the Tau is a weak target that could be conquered."  
  
"That's what we thought in the first place, but they repelled us. Remember. We were there, on the front lines, with our forces stretched so thinly across the territories we will surely succumb to their firepower if we attack again. And if we do attack again then I would not put it past the Tau to launch a crusade of their own."  
  
Magnus shook his head, "Unlikely, the Tau know of the might of the Imperium, they would not be so foolish."  
  
"But we would?"  
  
Magnus smiled and put a hand on his friends arm, "Do not worry Golias, even if a second crusade were ever to occur it will be a long time away." Golias didn't seem convinced, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some other duties to attend to."  
  
"Of course," Golias saluted and left the room leaving Magnus alone.  
  
"I'm sorry old friend," he whispered quietly, "But I cannot reveal the importance of this planet to you, at least…not yet."  
  
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To Be Continued  
  
By Raven 


End file.
